ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 
Monday, 23rd May, 1870. 
The Rev, R. Thornton, D.D., Vice-President, in the 
Chair. 
The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said: -It is not my 
intention to detain yon with any lengthy introductory remarks. It is more 
true in the case of such remarks than in any other, that “ brevity is the soul 
of wit ” The statements now submitted to you will show what progress, 
if I may use the expression, the Institute has made during the past year 
and what work — what real decided work — we have done since our las 
annual meeting. I will now, without further preface, call on Mr. Reddie to 
read the report. _ , . . -r, , 
Mr. J. Reddie, the Hon. Secretary, then read the Fourth Annual Repor 
of the Council, which was as follows : 
FOURTH ANNUAL EFFORT of the Council of the Victoria 
Institute, or Philosophical Society oe Great Britain. 
Progress .of the Society . 
1. The Council desire, in presenting their Fourth Annual 
Report, to speak quite plainly as in previous years, to the 
Members and Associates of the Victoeia Institute. They are 
obliged, therefore, once more to regret that the Society has 
not increased in numbers, as they would have wished, during 
the past year. Its business affairs, however, have now been 
placed upon a better footing, and the arrears of subscriptions 
for last year are fewer than for 1868. . , 
2. The Council Rave also tlie satisfaction of being able to 
report that they Rave been enabled to take a decided s ep 
towards realizing tRe seventR object of tRe Institute. During 
last year an appeal was made to the Members and Associates 
for Special Subscriptions for this purpose which was res P°“ a ® 
to very promptly and liberally by several Members, as will be 
seen by the Subscription List appended, showing a total Lot 
£384. 19s. Of this sum, £160. 10s. was paid and brought to 
account in 1869, and £167. 15s. has since been paid. this nas 
enabled the Council to rent the convenient offices we now occupy 
in 8, Adelphi Terrace, and to open the large room, which is use 
